PM defends record in letter to MPs

David Cameron has written to all Tory MPs to defend his record since becoming Prime Minister

David Cameron has written to all Tory MPs to defend his record since becoming Prime Minister and insist that the coalition Government is "delivering for the Conservative Party".

Amid signs of scepticism among some of his backbenchers, he sent an extensive list of his achievements so far and stressed that the coalition agreement contains many manifesto commitments.

He appealed for MPs to rally grassroots supporters over the summer as they head back to their constituencies for the parliamentary recess.

Mr Cameron has acknowledged that both he and Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg need to work to take their parties with them.

This week's missive was disclosed as Mr Cameron refocused on domestic political concerns after a four-day tour of Turkey and India.

In the letter, he acknowledged that some were "disappointed" by the compromises the Tories made with the Lib Dems, but warned that coalition was not "going to be easy".

"But we must remember the most important thing of all - Britain now has something that all Conservatives believe in profoundly - a strong and stable Government acting in the national interest to do the right thing for the long-term," he wrote.

Mr Cameron said the table of about 70 achievements represented "some of the things we have done so far". "This is not an exhaustive list. But it does show just what being the party of government means," he wrote.

Mr Cameron also addressed the disappointment within the party that it failed to win May's general election outright. Thanking MPs for their support and hard work, he admitted that "we all wanted to secure an overall majority" but pointed to what the party managed to achieve.

"I was determined to make the best of the circumstances we found ourselves in and take the initiative - and I believe that aiming for a strong, stable coalition Government that could act in the national interest was the right thing to do," he wrote. "Ten weeks on, I believe the Government is delivering for the Conservative Party - and we have made a good start in tackling the problems faced by the country."